Wednesday morning’s armed carjacking outside the former Sears Tower was captured on video and police have linked the hijackers to a string of violent crimes, including shootings, restaurant robberies, and other carjackings across the city and suburbs. The men also battered and robbed a pedestrian in the Loop.
Chicago police said the armed men, who travel in carjacked vehicles, may be linked to shootings on the city’s West Side. A source said they are also responsible for a shooting in Oak Park.
The men have also robbed fast food restaurants during late evening and early morning hours by crawling through the businesses’ drive-thru windows, police said. CPD released video of the crew entering a Dunkin’ drive-thru at 5615 South Harlem.
According to a CPD report, the men went after the employees’ car keys, purses, and other property after entering the restaurant around 7:19 a.m. Sunday, January 17.
On Tuesday, the crew hijacked a driver in the 9800 block of South Halsted around 5:17 a.m., police said. And they’re suspected of committing robberies in suburban Summit, Maywood, Matteson, Palos Heights, Oak Forest, and Oak Park, according to CPD.
Police said the robbers are three to four masked men who may be driving the silver 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander that was carjacked outside Willis Tower on Wednesday morning. It bears Illinois license plate BN48756.
A law enforcement source said the robbers arrived at Wednesday’s carjacking in another stolen vehicle bearing a plate that begins with CK135.
Anyone with information about the robberies can contact Area Four detectives at 312-746-8251 regarding crime pattern P21-4-008BA.
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